Case for electric lamps



Feb, 24, 1925.

C. MAY

CASE FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS Filed Feb. 8. 19 22 I AS bu n 70;?

Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES MAY, 0]? NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

CASE non nnncrnrc LAMPS.

Application filed February 8, 1922. Serial No. 535,027.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES MAY, a citizen of the United rotates, and a resident of New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented new and Improved Cases for Electric Lamps, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of devices employed to secure electric lamps or bulbs against theft, and an object of my invention, among others, is to provide a device oithis class that shall be particularly efficient for the purposes for which it is in tended.

One form of device embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of one form of a lamp case embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a view, scale enlarged, of my improved lamp case, as seen from the top, parts beyond being omitted.

F igureB is a view in section through the same on plane denoted by dotted line 3--3 01": Figure 2.

Figure .4 is a perspective view ofthe lock case.

j Figure 5 is a sideview of the upper part of the case with one of the lock supporting arms removed, and with a portion broken out to show the attaching groove.

Figure 6 is a view in section on a plane denoted by thedotted line 66 of Figure 3. Figure 7 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 7-7 of Figure 3. Figure 8 is a view of the lock case blank. Figure 9 is a perspective view illustrating the means for preventing rotation of the key in the operation of the tumblers.

Figure 10 is a detail View illustrating a little different arrangement of the lock.

improved case for electric lamps is so constructed that it may be readily applied in its entirety to the lamp and locked case and so constructed that its members cannot be separated. In the form of the construction herein shown the member 8 of the case comprises an unbroken piece of material that will answer as a shield, the member 9 having windows 1.1 through which the rays of the lamp may be projected for lighting purposes, and it will be understood, if the lamp is to be employed for lighting in all directions. that the member 8 may be provided with windows through which the rays of light may be projected. end of each member of the case is formed with a neck portion 12 or 13, each portion of which is provided on its inner surface with a groove 14 arrangedto receive within it a rib 15 that is formed upon the necks of most of the electric sockets in common use, so that when the two neck portions 12 and 18 comprising the neck of the case are secured together it will be impossible to remove the case by sliding it off from the end of the lamp socket 16.

One of the case members is provided with lock supporting arms 17, in the construction herein shown such arms projecting from the case member 9, these arms extending from the neck portion 13 and on opposite sides of the neck portion 12, said arms being spaced to receive a lock case formed to fit the space between said arms, such case being graphically illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, from which it will be observed that it is formed from sheet metal bent into its proper shape.

This case comprises an inner member and an outer member, the blank from which the inner member is formed comprising wings 18 projecting from opposite sides of the blank at a distance from each end thereof thereby creating end projections 19-20. The projection 19 is curved inwardly at one edge and when the piece is bent on the dotted lines 21, shown in Fig. 8 the wings comprise the ends 22 of the inner lock member. The pro- The upper the opposite side of said socket, this cross bar being supported by end bars 28 located substantially at right angles to the cross bar and secured, as by riveting, to the ends 22 of the inner lock member.

Key holes 29-3O are formed in opposite walls of the socket 26, one sideof the hole 30 being notched to receive the wards 3-1 on a key 32. In the preferred form of construction this key, as to its body, is of cylindrical shape with the wards 31 preferably projecting from one side and preferably in line each with another, and the key has a thumb piece 33 by means of which it may be manipulated. v

Tumblers 3st, in the construction herein shown four in number, are located within the lock socket 26 within which they may be freely rotated, these tumblers having flanges 35 that are preferably knurled for manual operation. A tumbler recess 36 is formed in each tumbler of a depth substantially the same as the length of the wards 31 on the key and a slot 37 extends froineach recess outwardly through the closed end of the tumbler so that when the key is in position in the lock the tumblers may be freely rotated to bring the numerals thereon into a predetermined order each with respect to another so that the wards 31 will pass from the recess through the slots and allow the key to be removed. Each end of the key being located in an arm 17 the lock is secured in place between said arms. hen th'ekey is removed from the lock, after manipulation and position of the tumblers asabove described, then the lock is free to be "removed from the arms 17 and this -releases the two case members 8 and 9 so that they may be swung upon the pivot 10 and removed from the lampfor any purpose, as for the replacement of a burned lamp with anew one.

This provides a structure by means of which electric lamps may be securely guarded against theft, the lamps being accessible only to the person possessing the combination of the lock and theft of the lamps is, therefore, effectually guarded against.

In order that the key 32 may be held from accidental rotation in the manipulation of the tumblers a hub 38 is formed on the inner end of the thumb piece 33, this hub being elongated to engage an opening 39 inone of the supporting arms 17, and as illustrated in Figure 9 of the drawings.

In order to prevent forcible separation of the arms 1'7 in an attempt to remove the look a slot 40 is formed in'thc end of the key so that should the arm 17 atthis end of the key be forced away from the lock case it can be sprung only as far as this notch, as when it reaches the notch its movement on the arc of a circle will carry it into said notch and thus prevent further movement. It is obvious that such parts of the key along its length as maybe desired may be utilized for the purpose of wards, &c., and that either or both ends of the key may be supplied with the elements,hereinbefore described.

In Figure 10 I have illustrated the device 'as embodied in a shackle lock, the construction of the key and tumblers being as hereinbefore described, the case being formed in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described and a shackle ll of U-shape being mounted with its ends engaged by the key.

I claim 7 1. A lamp case comprising sections pivotally united to inc'lose a-la'm p, arms integral with and extending from opposite sides of one section and spaced apart to receive the end of the other sectioii'betweei'i them, and a lock secured tooneof saidarms and adapted to press against the end of said other section to lock the two sections in engagement with a lamp socket.

2. A lamp case comprising sections pivotally united to inclose a lamp, arms integral with and extending from oposite sides of one section and spaced apart to receive the end of the other section between them, and t lock removably secured in place between said arms and adapted to press against the end of said other section to lock the two sections in engagement with a lamp socke'.

3. A lamp case comprising sections pivota'l'ly u'nited, one of said sections having a neck shaped at its end to fit a lamp socket and having arms spaced apart and extending on opposite sides of said socket thereac'ross to the side opposite said neck, the other section having a neck to fit saids'ocket between said arms, and a lock member secured between said arms and adapted to ress against the neck of said other section to removably engage said necks with a lamp socket.

4;. A lamp case comprising sections pivotally united, one of said sections having a neck shaped at its end to fita lamp socket and having arms spaced apart and extending on opposite sides of said socket thereacross to the side opposite said neck, the

other section having aiieck to fit said socket between'said arms, and a lock member removably secured between said arms and adapted to press against the neck of said other section to removably engage said necks with a lamp socket.

5. A lamp case formed in sections pivotally united at one end and having complemental port-ions of a neck section at the opposite end thereof, a groove extending circun'iferentially around the inner surface of said neck portions to engage with an oppositely formed element on a lamp structure, arms projecting from opposite edges of one of said neck portions and on opposite sides of the other neck portion, and a key operated lock removably secured to and between said arms to lock said neck portions in and having another recessed surface to en gage lock members, lock members located in said recessed surfaces, and means for operating said lock members and for retaining said lock case in engagement with the lamp case sections.

7. A lamp case comprising sections pivotally united at one end and formed with neck portions at the opposite ends to engage a lamp socket, interengaging locking members upon the case sections for engaging locking means on the lamp sections, arms forming part of a lock mechanism projecting from one of said lamp case sections, a look comprising a case having a surface recessed to fit said neck portions of the lamp case and another surface recessed to receive lock members, and a key formed to lit said lock members to be located by them to lock the case to the arms and in engagement with said lamp sections.

8. A lamp case comprising sections pivotally united at one end and having neck sections oppositely arranged at the end opposite the pivot, said neck sections having interlocking elements to engage interlocking elements on a lamp socket, arms forming part of a lock mechanism projecting from one edge of the neck on one of the case sections and on opposite sides of the neck on another of the case sections, a lock case formed to fit between said arms and having tumblers, a key projecting through said arms in position to retain the lock case in contact with one of said neck portions, and means on the tumblers for locking the key against removal from the look.

9. A lamp case formed in sections pivotally united at one end and having neck portions projecting from the end opposite the pivot, said neck portions having interlocking means to engage with interlocking means on a lamp socket, arms forming part of a lock mechanism projecting from one edge of one of the lamp case sections on opposite sides of the neck of another lamp case section, a lock case formed to fit between said arms and having a portion of a recess for tumblers, a U-shaped member comprising a portion of said lock case and having a cross bar formed With a complemental part of said recess for tumblers, tumblers located in said recess and having slots adapted to register each with the others, a key having wards to pass through said slots, and means on said arms to receive said key to lock said lock case in engagement with one of said neck portions of the lamp case.

CHARLES MAY. 

